Teaching and Workshops

An evolving area of our practice is facilitating workshops for organisations, the general public, as well as professional education for health and mental health professionals. Our workshops make strong connections between cutting edge research and evolving clinical practice. The content is continually being updated to keep pace with the latest developments in the field. Talks can be experiential in nature, where he encourages participants to actively reflect and engage with the materials presented, as well as adapt them to both their particular sensibilities and the specific contexts of life. Detailed handouts are provided to allow participants to take home the principle points of the talk, with a detailed bibliography for future reference Talks can also blend didactic instruction with case examples, video demonstrations, and small group work.

If you would like to be notified of new education programs and training opportunities please contact us.

Dr. MacKinnon will offer an OPQ accredited course through Psychologie Mont Royal. This program links cutting edge research and evolving clinical practice with course content keeping pace with the latest developments in the fields of psychotherapy, loss and bereavement. The program addresses psychological assessment, case conceptualization, psychotherapeutic skills, and ethical dilemnas. Attention will be paid to different theoretical modalities with emphasis on contemporary constructivist or meaning-focused schools of thought.

November 2018, Washington: Annual Meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies

Dr. Milman and Dr. MacKinnon present with colleagues Dr. Neimeyer, Dr. Fitzpatrick, Dr. Muis, and Dr. Cohen Prolonged grief disorder following violent loss: The role of rumination and meaning making at 34th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Washington, D.C.

November 2018, Washington: Annual Meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies

October 2018, MOntreal: International Congress on Palliative Care

The international congress on palliative care is distinguished by its commitment to high quality presentations, attracting both pioneers and leaders in the field of end-of-life care. Looking forward to seeing you in Montreal! With his colleague Johanne de Montigny, Dr. MacKinnon co-chairs two symposium at the International Congress on Palliative Care with two renowed experts in trauma and grief.

Dr. Therese Rando is a clinical psychologist based in Rhode Island and serves as Clinical Director of The Institute for the Study and Treatment of Loss. Since 1970, she has consulted, conducted research, provided therapy, written over 80 works, and lectured internationally in areas related to loss, grief, illness, dying, and trauma. In 2006, she was given "The Influential Leader Award in Grief and Loss Education and Practice" by The American Academy of Bereavement. Dr. Rando will address trauma in anticipatory and post-death mourning as well as psychosocial anxiety management techniques relevant to palliative care.

Dr. Robert Neimeyer is a Professor at the University of Memphis where he also maintains an active clinical practice. Dr. Neimeyer also serves as Director of the Portland Institute for Loss and Transition, which offers training and certification in grief therapy. He is the author of over 30 books and 500 chapters and articles. In recognition of his contributions, he has been given Lifetime Achievement Awards by both the Association for Death Education and Counseling and the International Network on Personal Meaning. Dr. Neimeyer will focus on bereavement psychotherapy.

June 2018, Ottawa: Constructive approaches to the challenging sides of the end of life

Dr. MacKinnon presents a half day workshop at the Canadian Hospice and Palliative Care Association as part of the Advanced Clinical Practice Stream.

April 2018, PITTSBURGH: Complicated grief and Violent loss: THe mediating role of Meaning

Jane Milman presents with contributions from Dr. MacKinnon at the Association of Death Education and Counselling her research concerning violent-loss bereavement. Abstract: Violent bereavement is associated with disproportionately high rates of complicated grief (CG). It is vital to establish interventions that are tailored for these vulnerable grievers by examining the etiology CG specifically following violent loss. Scholarship suggests that violent loss increases symptoms of CG by hindering meaning making such that the bereft are unable to make sense of the death or its aftermath. This longitudinal study (N = 171) identifies themes of meaning disrupted following violent loss with the aim of informing interventions that facilitate meaning making in a manner that mitigates symptoms of CG among the violently bereft.

November 2017: 4e Congrès International Francophone de Soins Palliatifs, Geneva.

July 2017, Lisbon: International Conference on Grief and Bereavement in Contemporary Society

Dr. Milman presentsFinding meaning in loss: A group therapy protocol for complicated grief. Paperpresented at 11th International Conference on Grief and Bereavement in Contemporary Society, Lisbon, Portugal.